"We don’t waste time thinking, 'But it should be one [interface]!' How do you make these [operating systems] merge together?'" Schiller reportedly said. "What a waste of energy that would be."

Apple's Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering was also in the interview, and commented, "It's obvious and easy enough to slap a touchscreen on a piece of hardware, but is that a good experience?"

"To say [OS X and iOS] should be the same, independent of their purpose? Let's just converge for the sake of convergence? [It's] absolutely a nongoal," Federighi is quoted as saying, possibly inventing the word 'nongoal' in the process.

"You'll see them be the same where that makes sense, and you'll see them be different in those things that are critical to their essence."

Do you think Apple's mobile and desktop operating systems are destined to become one? Is Apple bluffing when it implies there's no plan to add touchscreen displays to Macs? Or is it right and proper that both systems remain independent? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.

About the author

Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
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